A Night to Die For
by Kard of Dark
Summary: The future was a time of dreams, but finally the dreams are over as the original gang is lost among the world where everyone has their own nightmares to overcome. And where some aren't what they seem. K/K and others
1. Default Chapter

Okay, minna, I am changing most of my fics over onto mediaminer.org, and that is all my lemon stuff, well, some of the fics will be still here on ff.net, but will just be missing some things…I'm a worry wart, it only makes myself feel better--as in the fact I won't be wiped off this site. ^.^

Kard of Dark


	2. Chapter 1

A Night to Die For  
  
RK doesn't belong to me.  
  
Chapter 1  
  
~*~*~*~*~*  
She had known happiness at one point in time, Kaoru was quite sure of it, but now, in this hell, she felt like nothing could ever make it any worse. Alas, she had to be so wrong. The arrival of her newest brother, Eni-nii as he told them all, was the worst of all her brothers. There was Saitou, Shishio and Jinhe-but he had vanished, so she wasn't all too sure about him anymore. But, it had to be her oldest sister-the oldest sibling of the house-Tomoe who put her through the hell she was living.

They hardly had any food, or clothes, and only Kaoru worked aside from their adoptive parents who were just starting to have their kids work at the factory they themselves were working at. Kaoru had been lucky though, she didn't have to change jobs, just keep paying half of her check to the house for bills and all the other shit her adoring parents were into. After a while, things would just end up looking dull.

There was one thing that kept her looking onward-her great grandmother's journal. A woman of the Meiji Era, a kendo teacher none the less. Kamiya Kaoru, the first of the their family, which lasted until her, the last one of their blood line. It was so strange how Kamiya had gotten with child-though it was a rumor that Battousai had slept with the girl several times before and this time they weren't paying attention to what they were doing. They weren't even married. But they were in love. And that was simply romantic.

Now, back onto topic, she was named after her great grand mother, Rukato Kaoru-well, it used to be Kamiya Kaoru, but she was adopted, remember? The name change came with all of them. Like the rest though, they worked with their original last names, and all planned on changing it when they became 18 years of age. All of them where going to do so, except for Tomoe, the real problem child, who constantly kissed by to her beloved parents. The way she was could make anyone hurl.

The greatest thing this beauty did was take half of the remaining amount each of her siblings had earned and used it to please she SOB boyfriend to no end, so it was a wonder how all of them were able to keep new clothes and necessities rolling in. Well, something's their parents paid for, but the was the stuff everyone had use for.

Kaoru was simply wishing for the day she could finally leave this place and be on her own, and she had plenty of practice of doing so by living here. But she had no way to get to college, unless she got a loan that she would never have to slowly pay back. The good thing was that she didn't want to go to college, she was a romantic at heart and dreamt of becoming a housewife. And she was very good at cooking, cleaning, the laundry and household expenses.

Only, there was one small thing wrong with her, she was pale, sick-looking sense a child, and the only color that looked good on her, and anyone would let her buy, expect for the occasional pair of jeans. She remembered vaguely that someone had called her the, "Angel of Death," after waking up and seeing her sitting on the windowsill of their room as soft light leaked through the white curtains.

That had been what another brother had said, one who had gotten out at an early age, Kama-nii, as they all called him. He was the oldest and the only nice one in all of her siblings, but that was in the past, and one must never dwell too much on it.

As of now, the present wasn't going very well at all. She was the only one left who didn't have what their parents called a plan, but wasn't becoming a housewife a plan? After seeing what the rest of the world did to her, becoming that was the only option. One look at her pale skin and she was a sick child who needed to be treated special. And Eni-nii was constantly teasing her about it and becoming his little homemaker. It wouldn't have been so bad if he had been a friend, but a sibling? A very perverted one at that? Kaoru didn't think so.

And here she was, walking along the edge of the small river by her home, trying her best to balance along the brick edging of the downhill slope. Kaoru wasn't paying attention to what was around her, but the feel of someone's eyes watching her intensely made her look up.

The first thing she saw was his hair, this red fire that reminded her of her great grandfather as her great grandmother described, but this was the real thing. Complete with the beautiful amber eyes. She smiled, something inside telling her that this was the one. Raising a hand, she waved, and he smiled in reply! Maybe her life was starting to look up…

"Hey, tanuki-chan! Time for dinner!" yelled none other then the annoying Enishi from the porch of their house.

…Maybe not, but it seemed to be for just a moment.  


Kaoru closed her eyes and took in a deep breath, trying her best not to get mad. Not only had he yelled loud enough for people to hear in New York, but he had called her by the stupid nickname she would GLADLY give up! That BROTHER was going to get it, one way or another. And thus, she let her temper show, saying her own nickname for him, which involved his snow colored hair.

"I'm coming you Ojii-san!" She yelled back, eyes glaring.

"What did you just call me?"

"You heard me just fine!"

"You are going to get it!"

"Oh, I am SO scared."

"You really should be, brat!"

Meanwhile, Kenshin tried his best not to let out a laugh, but when the white haired man went back into the house, he broke out laughing, and the girl, she looked at him for a moment before softly giggling. "Sorry you had to hear that," she said softly, smiling just as much.

"Its okay, I have my own annoying sisters who do the same to me," he replied, smiling along with her.

"I'm Kaoru, and you?"

"Kenshin."

"Well, I have to get going, dinner you know. But it was nice meeting you, Kenshin-san." For some reason, she liked the way the name rolled off her tongue, as if she was destined to say it.

"Same here, Kaoru-san."

Waving, she turned around, grasped her skirt in one hand and started to run. She was known for her speed among her family, and another of her nicknames was "Chicken Legs." Kaoru liked tanuki-chan better then that one. But Kenshin was surprised by her speed, the way she moved seemed almost impossible for someone like her, and that just made the term, never judge a book by the cover all the truer.

All the while just one thought went through her mind, _Kenshin…Kenshin, where have I heard that name? Wait, _Himura _Kenshin_!

Dinner was a fine event, everyone sat about the table, the food was passed about and everyone ate and talked at the same time--though no one started choking. The ones who normally did so usually waited until Sunday night.

"Hey, tanuki-chan, who was the guy you were talking with earlier?" Enishi asked, looking at her coy gaze.

"Someone from school," Kaoru replied, trying her best not to look like she was lying, even though she was.

"What's his name," asked Tomoe, looking at her little sister with in interested look.

"Kenshin."

"Interesting name…though, I swear I've heard it before," muttered Shishio, scratching his chin, the small fuzz that formed there over the day rough to his own touch.

"Good dinner mom," Kaoru said, picking up her plate and cup, the small blush across her cheeks something she didn't like, sides, it stood out against her skin.

"Ah, my baby has her first crush!" Their mother stood up, eyes shinning as she went and hugged her "baby" tightly.

"Mom! Please!"

"But it's so cute! You have a crush on someone!"

"Her first crush too," teased Satiou, whom normally didn't tease anyone in the first place, but at that moment, no one could really help it. And after that comment, everyone started talking about this "Kenshin" and asking Enishi what he looked like and saying this and that about what he might be like, leaving Kaoru the opportunity to leave the dinning room and flee to the safety of her bed room.

Kaoru's room was small, but it fit everything she had need of--a bed, desk, dresser and a small set of shelves that once belonged to her real mother--the only thing that wasn't in the storage place where everything else was being held. It seemed strange that even though she never knew her real parents--no picture of them existed anymore--she still had all their treasures and memories. But, the only parents she ever knew and still wished to know was Mama and Papa, or Rukato Mioshi and Rukato Ryunizu, her parents tell the day she dies.

Searching through her books, she came upon the journal she had hidden among the other books, so her siblings wouldn't find it very easily. Taking it out, she searched though the old pages tell she came upon the spot she wanted, the name written clearly and purely. "Himura Kenshin…"

The description was there as well, and it all matched, amethyst eyes, bright red hair and a child like face. It was HIM! The reincarnation of Battousai! But, what did it really mater, she didn't even really know, it was just a crazy hypothesis that was more whacked then the truth. And why did it matter to her? It wasn't like she knew anything more then what happened in the journal, and nothing else…

"Kaoru-chan?" Her mother knocked on the door, opening it slowly and looking in to find her daughter sitting on her bed, reading that old journal again, but the woman smiled.

"Yeah mom?"

"A package came in for you, just now," The woman said, putting it down beside the raven haried girl. Kissing Kaoru on the top of the head, she left, hearing the girl's thank you as she did so.

The package was rectangle, wrapped in brown paper, her address written directly on the paper with a black marker. Opening it, she found a journal, old and worn looking, but it seemed strangely familiar.

"Hey, Kaoru," said Tomoe, opening the door and walking in, a towel wrapped about her body and nothing else, her skin soft and steamy. But she stopped, frozen when she saw that journal. "Where did you get that?"

Her tone startled Kaoru, and it took her a moment to reply, her voice lost in her throat for a moment. "It just came in the mail for me…"

"Can…Can I see it?"

"Yeah…" Tomoe took it into her hands, sitting down by her sister on the bed and running her fingers over the crude leather covering. Suddenly, with out warning, she crushed it to her chest and started to cry, tears coming down slowly and painfully.

"Nee-san…?" Kaoru spoke softly, looking at her older sister before reaching out and holding her. It felt strange, like nothing she had ever felt before.

"That name…that name, it hurts…" Tomoe buried her head in her sister's arms. "Don't call me it, please. Don't call me it!"

~*~*~*~*~*

AN: Well, I was encouraged to go on, though, I think I was thinking I would do so anyway. 

Ann: Thank you, normally, I can think up something else to say but my mind isn't working today. That rhymed.

D.J.: I think I wanted to continue for some time, but, you don't have to read on--I just wanted to take a nap while writing this…

Yuki Ayame: One thing you should learn about me, I like to respond to e-mails in a late fashion, if not at all…it's a bad habit…

JML: Don't know if there will be anymore lemons, but I am thinking about putting some lime in here.

Yen: I didn't know my writing amazed anyone, I'm amazed by everyone else's, just no my own. Sides, once I reread everything, I realize I did terrible on grammar and spelling…my two great faults…

Lolly: I continue, I continue! There goes my energy…

Aolani: Why do people have more energy then me these days? All I want to do is sleep, but I will write, slowly but surely…*soft snore*

Chiruken: Once I read something that makes me cry, I never want to read it again because I don't want to cry again, but I think I did once…can't remember.

saori: Their memories will come back soon, I am thinking about the next chapter or the one after the next one that they will remember, but Kaoru and Tomoe have started to do so.

supergal88: even number…they are evil, but it fits you name. ^.^

I realize at this point, I need my sleep and warmth then anything else--think I am catching something or in real need of rest, I take the later…well, I hope you like what I have so far, even though its somewhat slow in being updated, but I had NO time this week, thanks to stupid CST and Cat/6 testing! I hate them all! Not only that, but being stuck in that class for FOUR hours wasn't fun…first I loose my energy, then I gain it by ranting--but that class is EVIL!

Anyway, I hoped you liked it and please review? Please? Thanks!


	3. Chapter 2

A Night to Die For  
  
RK doesn't belong to me.  
  
Chapter 3  
  
~*~*~*~*~*  
_Tears become lost in the flow, you body lying among the sheets, the tear  
_stains_ clear among the moonlight. Was it I who made you cry, or is it your  
own lost mind?_  


No, Kaoru shook her head, it wasn't her who made her older sister cry, but  
the book, it had to be that book. Slipping it out of her sleeping sister's  
grip, she opened it to the first page, and started to read the tale it told.  


  
Kenshin wasn't all to sure if his live was taking him seriously about that  
girl he had met today, after all, his sisters ended up teasing him  
constantly about the whole subject. And the fact he wasn't able to get to  
sleep that night. Time was just going to slow.  


Getting out of bed, he pulled a pair of sweat pants from his  
dresser, pulling them on and then searching among the junk of his floor for  
his old shoes. A run might help him relax, it usually did.  


Grabbing his keys, he left the house, starting out in a slow jog  
among the night air. It felt nice against his cool skin. But it wasn't long  
until he came upon her once more. His mysterious angel looking out over the  
water of a river, leaning over the railing of the bridge as she watched it.  


"You know what," she said, turning to him in a sudden motion, her  
skirt twirling about her legs as she leaned back, secured in the crook of  
one arm was an old looking book, one Kenshin thought he knew, and  
well. "The past is something that you can never run away from. It always  
catches up with you one day."  


No longer did her eyes glow a soft sapphire, but in the moon light  
Kenshin swore he was looking into a deadly amber--one that resembled a  
person high on life, or the pain it could bring. "You can never get ride of  
it," he replied, standing next to her, leaning forward on the rail and  
watching the water.  


"Ah, but what about a past life? Do you think that your nightmares  
can come from that as well?"  


"Yes." There was silence, and neither dared to look the other in  
the eye until Kenshin broke the silence. "So you remember."  


"I remember the sorrow and tears, the joy and happiness, and that  
is left in between."  


"But how did--"  


"Your Battousai spirit seem to live on? I would like to say that  
the true spirit is still you--for you are him and he is you--but as for me,  
well, the essence of it was passed through the generations. All the way to  
me."  


"Passed through the generations? But I had no children."  


"You didn't, I did."  


Kenshin was speechless, just looked at her in the eyes, reading  
all that she had to be said. It was true; every word she said had been  
true. Suddenly, he scooped her into his arms, holding her close and taking  
both of them by surprise. But his hold was warm and welcomed, and Kaoru  
hugged back, not wanting to be let go.  


"Is your family going to the neighbor hood picnic tomorrow?" Kaoru  
asked, trying to stall time, so she wouldn't have to leave their embrace  
any sooner then she would have to.

"Yeah, do you want to meet up then?"  


Kaoru gave a small nod of her head, which rested in the crook of  
his neck, taking in his sent. The red head gave a soft sigh, her soft body  
fitting perfectly to his, the sweet curves beneath his hands very inviting,  
and for some reason, he started to think about that night, the one where he  
took something from her he could never replace.  


"Stop thinking that it was bad, I loved you then, and I do so now,  
something's are just meant to be," Kaoru said, pulling back in his arms and  
looking at him with sapphire eyes, they had went back to normal, but as he  
just stood there looking at her she titled her head to the side and the  
amber once more seemed to glow.  


"You are perfectly you," he gave a smile, watching her confused  
look for a moment before hugging her once more and then taking her cold  
hand into his own. "Come on, I'll walk you home, its getting pretty late  
anyway."  


"Yeah," she replied softly, letting him lead her away from the  
bridge and to her home, which was sitting nicely among the rest of the  
street in its eerie silence. No one was awake, anymore, just her.  


"Why look so sad, doll?" He asked, stopping, turning her head so  
he could look into her eyes. They held the faint of tears that wanted to be  
shed but wouldn't fall. But, he cared and the tears did fall, slowly and  
then strong as she buried her head into his chest, his warm arms wrapping  
about her body in a safe embrace. It was odd how just one person could make  
her feel safe while she cried, but what made it seem all the more right was  
the fact that HE was the one who was doing so.  


"I just can't take it anymore!" she cried out, her voice muffled  
by his body, but Kenshin could still hear it. The pained voice in which it  
was spoken hurt him. "I don't want to go back there!"  


__

No, I don't want to go back to that place! Not today, please not  
today… She thought, the words haunting her heart with all that it held--she  
didn't want to go back and see remains of her sister, who usually was all  
back bone and no sign of tears in sight.  


"Come, you can come to my house--my mom won't mind. It's a nice  
place, warm to, if you want…" He pulled her back by the shoulders and  
looked into her eyes trying to use his own to say that everything would be  
fine. "And you wouldn't have to say anything..."  


A slow, painful nod of her head said that she agreed to what he  
said. Taking her once more by the hand, Kenshin gently lead her to his  
house near by. The light was on in the kitchen, meaning his mother was  
still there, so he took Kaoru into the house through the back door, where  
his mother looked up from the papers scattered about the kitchen table and  
gasped.  


Oh, sure it wasn't every day you found your son bringing a girl  
home from the night, but this one, this girl shocked her to no end. Her  
skin was pale, but not the dead pale, just a healthy kind, somehow, and her  
blue eyes, looking at her from behind Kenshin's. And, finally, her thin  
arm, leading to a think hand which grasped Kenshin's own, she was thin, a  
little too thin…and thus, her motherly instinct kicked in.  


"What are you just standing there for? This poor girl looks like  
she is freezing!" Rose stood up, glaring at her son for a moment, conveying  
that he would speak to her later on, but right now he had to help. She felt  
the Kaoru's forehead, and frowned, she wasn't running a fever, but was  
cold. "Go upstairs and get a pair of old sweats from the closet--preferably  
something Mary would've owned, she liked wearing things that kept her warm."  


Kenshin gave Kaoru's hand a reassuring squeeze before he started  
off on what his mother told him to do. Kenshin and his mother looked alike,  
with the same red hair and caring eyes. As well as the strange aura that  
made you feel safe. Meanwhile, the older woman gently ushered Kaoru to sit  
down in a chair, fixing her a glass of tea, warm and steamy, placing it in  
the girl's hands. It burned her for a moment, but she didn't drop it, just  
held onto the warmth and taking a small sip of the flavored water.  


Kenshin had returned with the sweats and his mother told him to  
run them through the dryer for a moment so they would be nice and warm and  
then get into some warmer clothes as well. Giving a sigh and glancing at  
Kaoru with a loving smile he did as he was told--no one disagreed with  
something she told them to do and get away with it.  


"I guess your Kaoru-chan, ne?" Rose said, sitting beside her as  
the raven-haired girl gave a small nod. "Do you want to give your parents a  
call and tell them where you are? Its not that late."  


"No one is up, everyone usually goes to bed early," Kaoru replied,  
just in time for Kenshin to hear as he came down the back stairs in a  
different pair of sweats and a white wife beater. The dryer buzzer went off  
then and the red head went to fetch the warm clothes.  


"Kenshin, show her to the bathroom and we'll have you somewhat  
freshened up--would you like to take a warm shower or something?" The woman  
seemed deep in thought for a moment before she nodded her head in a silent  
agreement. "Nope, a shower would get you even colder, the sweats will work,  
and while you change I'll get the guest room ready. And why are you two  
just standing there like that? Get going."  


Rose made a movement with her hand meaning for them to make their  
exit. The two left, heading up the stairs and to the bathroom. "Told you  
she wasn't that bad," Kenshin said, with another smile, one that made Kaoru  
smile--a small smile--in reply.  


"She reminds me of you." Kaoru's eyes followed him, watching his  
gaze as he looked back at her.  


"How so?"  


"You both seem to care for someone you don't really know."  
Kenshin reached out and cupped her cheek softly, almost a caress  
but it wasn't really one. "Then it is one trait I got from her I will never  
want to give up."  


They got to the bathroom and Kaoru changed as fast as she could,  
trying to catch the warmth the sweats still gave off, savoring what she  
could of it. Holding her other clothes to her body she left the bathroom  
and followed the red head down the hall and to the guest room, where his  
mother was fluffing out some pillows. "I hope you don't mind the room, 

we haven't used it in a while," Rose said with a sheepish smile before she  
gave Kenshin a small wink and left the room, closing the door behind her.  
Sitting on a small table by the bed was the cup of tea Kaoru had been  
drinking earlier before, along with a warm teapot and another cup.  


Kaoru took the still warm cup into her hands and held it closely  
as she sat down on the bed, at the spot where Rose had moved the covers  
away at the pillows. Kenshin sat down beside her, watching closely as she  
sipped the warm liquid.  


"You know what?" Kaoru said quietly, looking at Kenshin beneath  
her eyelashes. Kenshin was laying on his stomach, holding his own tea cup  
over the floor, looking at her with amethyst eyes that appeared several  
shades darker then before.  


"What?" he replied, watching her every movement as she spoke.  


"Home is usually okay, but…she started to cry today…Nee-san never  
cries--and that was the reason she did so!" Kaoru felt like crying her self  
as she choked on her words, she hands grasping the teacup in a death grip.  


"Shh, its okay," Kenshin said softly, taking her tea cup away  
before she could brake it and placing it on the night stand where his own  
cup was. Okay, he didn't really get what she was saying--it was either that  
her sister cried from not being able to, or that she couldn't stand being a  
sister, that much he had gotten. But he knew for certain that Kaoru's  
sisters crying had affected the girl in some sort of way.  


"She doesn't want to be my Nee-san anymore…" Suddenly, Kaoru  
pitched forward, wrapping her arms about Kenshin's neck and holding herself  
close to him as she cried.  


"I'm sure that isn't the case," Kenshin replied softly, wrapping  
his own arms about her small body.  


"Are you sure?" Her eyes looked up at him, so trusting in their  
mix of colors. But that frightened him, it seemed like she was never able  
to trust someone, really believe in someone, for a long time.  


"Would I lie to you, doll?" He looked her in the eye, seeing a  
small spark appear in the deep depths at her nickname.  


"No, I don't think so," came her reply, her small body curling up  
against his own, taking in his warmth.  


"Good, now, lets get you into bed. You, my dear doll, need some  
rest." Kenshin's hand moved up and ruffled her hair, the shinny hair felt  
like silk against his fingers. He got her settled into bed, and sat beside  
her on the edge, watching as her breath started to slow and the movements  
of her chest came to a gentle rise and fall. Smiling softly, he gently  
brushed her bangs away from her face and started to leave, only to find his  
hand trapped in her own.  


"Ah, come on, doll. You are making this harder then it should be,"  
he muttered half-heartedly as he tried, in vain, to free hand. Giving a  
sigh, he deemed it hopeless and looked at her with a small pout. Kaoru  
smiled in her sleep, as if knowing his predicament and tightened her hold.  


Not risking waking her from the sleep she needed, he stood as much as he  
could on the bed and stepped over her, settling down on the bed bedside  
her, grabbing the pillow and punching it a moment with his free hand before  
resting his head on it. She turned towards him, breathing a soft sigh as  
she snuggled closer.  


__

You know what, he thought with a small smirk, _I could get used to  
this._ With that thought in mind, Kenshin drifted off to sleep.  
  
  
That morning, Kaoru found her self the center of the family, sitting once  
more at the dinning table, still in the sweats from before eating the  
breakfast Rose had served her. It wasn't a quite occasion, but Kenshin's  
sisters kept looking at her as if she was a piece of art that wasn't worth  
what the price tag had said. One of them--Melia, was staring at her with a  
quizzical look, which was more then she could really take.  


"I swear I've seen you before," she finally spoke, Melia's voice was smooth  
and soft, but no emotion was held there. For some reason, Kaoru thought the  
voice sounded familiar.  


"Well, maybe you saw her walking home before," said Mary, whom didn't mind  
that their visitor was wearing something she had grown out of not that long  
ago. "She doesn't live that far from us."  


"Yeah, in the house full of crack pots," muttered Misao. She didn't think  
anyone heard her, but those words rang in everyone's ears, in Kaoru's they  
rang the loudest.  


"Misao!" Hissed Rose, looking at Kaoru for a moment and then glaring at her  
daughter.  


"But it's true!"  


"No, its not--we just don't like each other," Kaoru spoke, not looking up  
instead pushing the contents of her breakfast about on her plate. Her voice  
was even monotone, but if one were to look into her eyes as she hid them,  
they would see the sapphire slowly melt into amber. "But then again, how  
can you not blame my siblings? They did have families before mama and papa  
adopted them, it was all a matter of weather or not they were taken care  
of."  


"You're all adopted?" This came as a surprise to Kenshin, but when he put  
the image of her brother and Kaoru, he saw a difference…Then again, her  
older brother, he resembled someone he knew but Kenshin couldn't put a  
finger on it completely.  


"Yep! It's okay, though we get into fights all to often." She looked up and  
smiled, her eyes closed and showing true joy for the topic. "Are arguments  
show how much we love each other--or so I'd like to think. And that is  
where you got the idea of crack pots."  


"But I swear I saw you talking with a smoker on the steps of the old bridge  
near by," Misao said, a serious look in her eyes.  


"That was my older brother--one of them at least." Her eyes went past Misao  
to look at the clock, and gasped. It was already 11 o'clock! If her family  
wasn't pissed off at her for not coming home last night, they would be even  
more pissed at her for returning this late. Kenshin followed her gaze and  
looked at his mom for an answer, he didn't want to let her go. Having her  
here with him was what he wanted, even if she didn't want it.  


"I guess we should take you home, huh?" Rose glanced at her son, meeting  
his gaze and glaring at him for a moment. She wasn't a pet or some  
inanimate object that he could keep, but Rose could tell that Kenshin loved  
her and wanted--no, needed--to keep her safe from all harm. "Come on,  
finish eating and then get changed--I'm sure your parents won't like it if  
you come home in foreign clothes."  
  
Kaoru nodded her head in agreement and went back upstairs to change into her clothing, the black skirt was wrinkled, but she would be changing into something else when she got home so it didn't really matter. Grabbing the book in which she had wrapped her sweater around, she went back down stairs, her boots where placed at the front door.

"If you give me a sec, I can go get into a sweater and jeans and I can walk you home," said Kenshin, with a smile to cover his hurried decision. No one caught onto it, only Kaoru heard it and when she shook her head yes, he was up the stairs in a blink of an eye—or even faster. And then he was back, the same smile on his face as he slipped on his own pair of shoes and followed Kaoru out of the house.

~*~*~*~*~*

AN: IT'S TOO FREAKING LONG FOR ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I usually can't write something this long and NOT think about stopping somewhere along the line—so, I guess it means I really want to finish this fic, huh? Well, I do have some pretty good ideas for it. And its some pretty bazaar ideas, so beware of some…strangeness only I could probably come—or at least according to my step brother, but that's a whole different thing. Anyway, thank you very much for reviewing, I've always liked that! Though…I don't feel like answering them this time, sorry, but I will next time so please keep reviewing! Thanks!

And sorry for the strange format it seems to be—if it shows up the same as I am seeing it… Anyway, it's the stupid computer's fault!

Now, I have to go, see ya next time! ^.^


	4. Chapter 3

A Night to Die For

RK doesn't belong to me.

Chapter 4

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She never thought about it before, being an older sister, a real one anyway. No one had ever loved her, not even her own parents, and thus, she used everyone about her like they did her. It wasn't a sin to do that, was it? But now, she wanted this change, for the one person in the world who really cared for her had left, and now she didn't know what to do.

Akira wasn't gone though, but still, it was her little sister, the only one who cared for her because she was the cunning bitch that she was. Sides no one messed with her, Rukato Tomoe, with out meeting the consequences. For so long she had believed that. She was a breakable object set up for the world to see but never touch, and to be used by this great creature. The only one to break that spell had been her boy friend, Akira, and it was only because of his wild behavior, the way he reintroduced the world to her. And it was all wrong, it was the real world—the wild and realistic way it appeared to everyone, but…it had damaged her, though she would never regret it.

Now, Tomoe was searching for the one person who made her realize all of this, the one who would love her no matter what, a kind of blood pact that couldn't be broken. They shared a common link, a real thing—the love for the same man in their past lives, with almost the same goal in mind. With the same urge to complete it even they died from doing so. Looking back on all of that now, it only seemed selfish that they would want that all to themselves, but now was no time to think about the past.

Glancing at Akira, she noticed the way he too was somber, as if her own mood had passed onto him. "I'm sorry that I ruined our plans," she said suddenly, the words just slipped out.

"Its okay, hon, I know the feeling, I would be doing this same thing if my own little sis got lost," Akira said with a smile. He had learned of the real reality not that long ago, with the birth of his little sister. She was the second most important person in his life—Tomoe was his first. "Now come," his hand grasped her own tightly. "Lets find you little imouto-chan and get her back home safely."  
"But…I can't help but worry that I had really hurt her. I don't even remember what I was saying." And Tomoe didn't, it was all a blur as that damned dairy came into view. Everything had hurt at that moment.

"Well, I don't have any advice, other then go and talk to her yourself." His eyes were looking not at her, but at something behind. Turning around, Tomoe saw her little sister standing still, a nice looking red head beside her, but she paid him not notice, everything was centered on Kaoru.

And the first thing out of Tomoe's mouth showed that she cared, in a pissed off way, "Kaoru-chan! Where the hell have you been? We've been worrying our heads off because of you!" Her glare could've have killed, if Kaoru wasn't already afraid, the feeling twisting her stomach into knots as she and Kenshin slowly approached her sister and Akira.

Tomoe and Kaoru locked eyes, and Akira, taking his "chance" stood back by Kenshin, even introducing himself, even though his eyes never left the pair. Slowly, Kaoru seemed to relax from her tense position from when she first spotted her sister, her slender shoulders dropping. Her older took her chance, raising a hand as if to slap Kaoru across the face, but she just stood there waiting for it.

Kenshin wanted to intervene, but Akira had stopped him, putting a hand down on the red head's shoulder and stopping the boy. Tomoe didn't hit her, instead the hand as joined by the other for a tight hold; she was actually giving her little sister a hug.

This shocked Kaoru as more then just a little normal, but as completely strange and NOT normal! There was no way that Tomoe actually wanted to touch her in anyway possible unless it was just to annoy her—like last night most likely—or to please the folks. But never like this.

Finally, the hold ended, and Tomoe looked at her sister for a moment before starting her "sisterly" scolding. "Do you know how worried we were when we all woke up to find you missing? Now, where have you been all this time?"

"Sleeping over at Kenshin's house," Kaoru replied, pointing to Kenshin who smiled and waved back. There was an odd look in Tomoe's eyes as she looked at Kenshin, knowing—somehow—that she had known him some time ago, but Akira seemed to like him.

"Ah, look at him. No guy this cute would dare do anything to your little imouto-chan with out knowing the consequences," Akira said, pulling on one of Kenshin's cheeks like your aunt or grandmother might do. "Sides, doesn't he have the most cutest dimple?"

Thankfully, Kenshin wasn't the only one who was surprised by that comment; Kaoru just looked at her older sister's boyfriend and then her sister when Tomoe started laughing. A smile was on Tomoe's face though; no one else could make her smile like that.

"Now, why don't you and Ken-chan here get going home and explain stuff to mom, ne?" Tomoe looked at her sister. "And if she asks about me, tell her I went to get that cake she wanted for the picnic okay?"

"Yeah, nee-chan," Kaoru replied as Tomoe and Akira started off for the small store which Akira's family owned. It may have been the closet store in their neighbor hood, but it was still about half a mile away.

Kaoru's house was two story, and old, the first floor was dated back to the late 1800's, but it was kept in good condition and recently painted. The garden was also expansive with several unique trees and flowers that ran along the ledge of the grass and the house. In other words, it was a rather nice house—one of the best looking houses on the street.

But one you got inside, be prepared for the worst, that is what Kaoru told Kenshin when she opened the front door. She, personally, didn't know who was still at home and who was looking for, thus, didn't know what to expect when she got there. They went inside and for some part, they found no one until Kaoru called out that she was home and a voice—her mother's—came from the kitchen.

Kenshin followed Kaoru to the kitchen, and found a middle-aged woman with black hair held back in a bun. She was dressed in jeans and a shirt—both in a design a teenager would most likely wear—a apron that said, "Kiss the Cook," complete with a big pair of pink lips all puckered up and a pair of bee shaped slippers.

"Kao-chan!" Her mother wrapped her arms about Kaoru's shoulders in a tight hug, nearly squishing the girl in her hold. "Where have you been all this time?"

"I can answer that, ma'am," Kenshin said, the woman looked at him with a curious stare that seemed to bore straight into his mind. "She was staying over at my house—sleeping in the guest room."

"And why did you spend the night over at…"

"Kenshin."

"At Kenshin-san's house, hon?"

"Me and nee-chan had a fight and well…I didn't want to be near her. And I forgot to leave a note cause I left in a hurry and forgot to call."

Kaoru looked at the floor, not wanting to see the disapproving look she knew her mother had. Which she did, but her mother was looking between Kenshin and Kaoru before giving as deep sigh.

"I'll believe that, baby-dear, but you get on upstairs and get into something nice. We're going to the picnic after all your brothers show up."

~*~*~*~*~*

AN: I have to update before I do something stupid again—I just nearly lost all that I wrote! NO! Sorry for such a late update though, I have been out of it lately in writing, for some odd reason I don't know. It's not really fun actually. Anyway, I hope you liked this chapter—but I can understand if you feel like you were cheated in an ending—and remember to review!


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